


Protection

by Mouse9



Category: Prodigal Son (TV 2019)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-11
Updated: 2019-12-11
Packaged: 2021-02-25 23:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,393
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21753889
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mouse9/pseuds/Mouse9
Summary: Months after his kidnapping by John Watkins, Malcolm wakes after a nightmare to find someone guarding his dreams and keeping him safe.  Even from himself.
Relationships: (mentioned) - Relationship, Malcolm Bright/Dani Powell, Malcolm Bright/Edrisa Tanaka
Comments: 13
Kudos: 52





	Protection

**Author's Note:**

  * For [impossiblyimprobable](https://archiveofourown.org/users/impossiblyimprobable/gifts).



> I know we have no idea what happens after the mid-season break is over and chances are this will all be wrong once it comes back. There was talk about Dani and Bright and Edrisa all being their own little trio of cuddles and taking care of Malcolm and hell even Keiko likes the idea of Edrisa and Dani cuddle buddies. 
> 
> This story came from that and because Impossiblyimprobable is an all around amazing person and deserves a bit of angsty fluff.

_ The metal of the handcuff was cold- chafing his already raw wrists. He was shivering, crumpled inward, huddled away from the mirror in the dim lighting that faced him accusingly, like judge, jury… _

_ Not executioner, no, that would be John Watkins. _

_ Or it would be if he couldn’t break him. Shatter him in a million pieces so he could remould, recreate him into John’s image. Into Martin’s image. _

_ “You are your father’s son. You are just like him in every way.” _

_ This was a familiar cadence now- beat in his head like a drum.  _

_ “You will follow his path.” _

_ The bag before him shook, bled. Malcolm curled further away as the blood pooled, began spreading towards him. Threatening to engulf him.  _

_ A wild fear rose up in him-desperate, clawing to be free. He fought it as he fought to stay away from the blood.  _

_ “You are your father’s son.” _

Bright!

_ You are your father’s son.” _

_ Something was holding him, not letting him escape. He fought against it.  _

Bright!

_ “You are your father’s-” _

**Bright!**

The sharp pain pulled him from the nightmare, gasping as if he’d been drowning. There was a weight on him, on his arms, outside the restraints that was keeping him down. He fought at it.

“Bright!”

He blinked, eyes acclimating to the dim light. Shapes formed, sensations appeared: the lights of New York reflected in the large window of his loft. The shape of the rafters on his ceiling. The now familiar feel of a body other than his own on the bed. 

Relief flooded through him as he recognized the backlit form of Dani straddling him on the bed, hand clamped over his forearms to keep him from hurting himself. With that thought, he felt the sharp pain return, the pain of his left hand from the hammer injury. It seemed he might have reinjured it.

“Ow.” 

The first words said since he’d woken from the nightmare. At that word, Dani’s hold relaxed and she began unbuckling his restraints.

“You were having a nightmare,” she said by way of explanation. “I was worried you’d hurt yourself or your hand again. And I was right.”

She unbuckled the second restraint and made to climb from the bed. Malcolm sat up the moment he was free, catching Dani before she could move completely off, arms wrapping around her waist. 

Startled, she rocked back but wrapped her arms around him, holding him close, his head against her breastbone. They stayed like that, silent, only the sounds of Malcolm’s ragged breath heard. 

Dani judged when to speak by the sound of his breathing. Once the sharp raspy gasps had slowed, replaced with slow softer inhales, did she finally speak. Only speech, she’d discovered early on in this...thing they had, she didn’t let go. Letting go before he was ready would result in panic and tighter holds. Once he decided he was stable, he would release her and they’d move on.

“Bright?” Old habits stuck. It was her name for him, his given name only used for those encounters that involved the slide of skin, the sharing of breath, that innate trust of a small death easily returned from. 

“Was it the cage?” she kept her voice calm, level, soothing. Even though she wanted to bust through Claremont and shoot Martin Whitley between the eyes. For Bright, she would play the comfort giver, the lover. For Whitley, she would be justice. 

Against her, Malcolm nodded, grip tightening at her waist. Her hand was in his hair, stroking soothing. 

“Talk about it?”

The nightmares were lessening. When he was found, rescued, the nightmares had been constant. He hadn’t gotten any sleep, turning into a zombie, worse than his usual insomniac self. Not until Dani had bullied her way in one evening and stayed with him. She was able to calm his turbulent mind. With help, because she needed help too, the nightmares lessened

. 

He shook his head, wincing as he finally began pulling away. She let go, finishing her journey off of the bed. 

“You awake for a while?” Dani looked at the clock on the bedside table. It read 1:17 am. 

“For a bit.” 

Bright sat at the edge of the bed, briefs and a tee-shirt on, bare feet flat against the wood floor. 

Danie’s own bare feet padded towards the kitchen, the oversized nightshirt swirling around her thighs.    
“You want something to drink?”

With a soft groan, he scrubbed his face with his hands before standing. 

“Brandy.”

Dani bark a sharp laugh. “You are not your mother. You’ll have tea.”

She turned on the electric kettle, and pulled out a sachet of tea leaves, dropping it into a cup. Crossing the room, Bright sat tiredly on an expensive high backed bar chair, leaning his elbows on the countertop. 

Dani took his still casted hand gently between her own, checking for further injuries. 

“It’s gone to a dull ache,” he said. Her gaze flicked up from his hand to his face. The kettle clicked off and she let him go. 

“Can you take more pain medication?” she asked as she poured hot water into the cup. Bright snorted. 

“Can I? Always. Should I?” He glanced towards the blue numbers indicating the time on his microwave. “Yeah. Enough time has elapsed.”

“Do it.” She slid the cup and the prescription bottle towards him, watching as he shook out two pills from the bottle and swallowed them down, chasing it with a small drink of the tea. Satisfied, she picked up her phone from the counter, ready to send a text. 

A bandaged hand covered her phone screen. 

“Please.”

She frowned. “You don’t want me to…”

He shook his head. “Not now. She’ll only worry and nothing can be done about it. I’ll tell her tomorrow.” He continued to her still sceptical expression. 

“If you don’t, I will.” Dani told him firmly. “You don’t want her angry and I sure as hell don’t want her angry at me.”

A half-smile was her response to setting her phone back down. 

“Promise.”

They were quiet, bright drinking his tea and Dani watching, arms crossed against her middle. The muted glow of the small kitchen nightlight Dani had insisted be installed combined with the glow of the city lights bathed the loft in a comforting welcoming light. 

Bright finished his tea, yawning as the medication began to kick in. 

Dani straightened, taking his now empty mug and placing it into the sink. 

She came to his outstretched arm, leaning into his embrace as they walked back towards the bed. 

“Do you need the restraints again?”

He shook his head. “I should be fine now. You’re staying, right?”

Dani laughed, gesturing to her nightshirt. “I can’t really go anywhere, Bright.”

He chuckled with her, then lifted her chin to press a soft kiss to her lips. 

“Thank you,” he said, voice low. She smiled under his lips. 

“Mmm. I’ve told you, however long you need me, however long you need us.”

“Three days after the third of forever. Come to bed?”

“Let me go to the bathroom first and I’ll be right there.”

They came together again, Bright’s arms around her tight as they kissed, dragging tingles from her toes. 

She left him climbing into bed as she made her way to the bath, locking the door behind her.

Caring for Malcolm Bright was more than one person could handle. Fortunately, he had an entire group that could help. Loving Malcolm Bright was more than one person could handle. Luckily, they’d found someone who was willing to shoulder the weight for both of them. Malcolm was a tempest and as odd and unconventional as it sounded to others, their arrangement worked for them. 

She sent the text half-written earlier. He might not have wanted to worry her but they’d promised no secrets. That’s how this thing worked. No secrets. 

A moment later, her phone buzzed. 

[ **Is he ok? Are you ok?** ]

Dani smiled. Touched at the concern portrayed in those six words. 

[ **We’re fine E. He’ll tell you about it tomorrow. He promised.** ]

**[I’ll make sure I find something to distract him. Text me if you need me. I mean it!** ]

[ **xx** ]

Dani washed and dried her hands, palming her phone as she left to join Bright in bed, to guard him against his nightmares until the morning. 


End file.
